Multiple sheet pack and/or container



March 2, 1937. LANDSIEDEL 2,072,757

MULTIPLE SHEET PACK AND/0R CONTAINER Filed April 6, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l v IN VE N TO R HARRY LANDS/E051 ATTURNE Y March 2, 1937. H. LANDSIEDEL MULTIPLE S HEET PACK AND/OH CONTAINER Filed April 6, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VE N TOR HARRY LANDS/E DE L UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIE MULTIPLE SHEET PACK AND/OR CONTAINER Harry -Landsiedel, Wilton, Conn., assignor to Remington Rand Inc.,

tion of Delaware Buffalo, N. Y., a corpora- Application April 6, 1935, Serial No. 15,007

Claims.

My invention relates to multiple sheet packs or containers for receiving, holding and maintaining separated a plurality of groups of different types of sheets for use more particularly, in manifolding; sheets such for example as first writing sheets, carbon sheets and copy sheets.

My invention also comprehends the provision of a multiple sheet pack or container such as that indicated in which selecting or pick-up 10 means are employed to facilitate the proper removal, handling and collating of writing and carbon sheets preparatory to typewriting.

In the routine of general office work, whenever it is required to write a letter with one copy, it is necessary for the typist to take out a letter head, or first writing sheet, a copy sheet and a sheet of carbon paper, properly arrange or collate all these sheets and then insert them into a type- Writing machine. It usually happens that these sheets are in separate and disjointed compartments or containers, and very often in difierent drawers in a desk so that the removal and arrangement of the sheets is a time consuming and tedious operation, it being understood that in 5 arranging the sheets the carbon paper is placed between the two letter sheets with the carbon side thereof adjacent the copy sheet. In thus handling the sheets it sometimes results that the thin carbon sheets are crumpled or are partly turned over on themselves thereby either destroying the carbon sheet or resulting in an imperfect manifold copy being produced therefrom.

One of the primary objects of my invention is to overcome the above mentioned difiiculties by providing a novel unitary pack or container for protecting and maintaining separated all the necessary types of sheets used in manifolding, and from which said sheets may be easily removed and collated in their proper order for insertion into a typewriting machine.

Another object of my invention is to provide a multiple sheet container which comprises a backing, supporting or base member having a plurality of ofiset and superposed cover or enclosing members mounted thereon.

A still further object of my invention is to provide selecting or pick-up means associated with each cover member, whereby each of the sheets required for a manifolding operation may be quickly picked up with the aid of the associated pick-up means and readily removed from said container in their proper order.

To the above and other ends which will here! inafter appear my invention consists in the features of construction, arran ements of parts and combinations of devices set forth in the following description and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the difierent views,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view, on a small scale, of a multiple sheet container constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevational View of the cover members and supporting or base member, and showing said cover members in open, ofiset relation before being mounted upon said supporting member;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the cover or retaining members and showing the hinge portion thereof and the under side of the pick-up means employed on said cover member;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, disassembled, perspective View of one of the pick-up devices of my invention;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the pick-up member showing the adhesive coated under surface thereof;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary, enlarged end elevational view of the left-hand end of the container shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 'l-'l of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows at said line;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the first step of removing a writing sheet from the container;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the upper cover or retaining member in its raised position with the first sheet adhering to the adhesive coated pick-up member; and

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary perspective View showing the right-hand or lower cover member in its raised position, and illustrating the last step in the process of removing a group of sheets for manifolding from the multiple sheet container.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1, 2, 6 and '7, it will be observed that my novel multiple sheet container, which is designated as a whole by the reference numeral 20, is shown in the present instance to comprise a backing, base or supporting member 2| and a plurality of cover or enclosing members 22. The supporting member 2| may be made of any suitable material, preferably of comparatively heavy flexible paper stock. Each of the cover members 22 may be made of suitable material such for example as comparalively heavy paper stock and may be provided with a securing portion 23 hinged at 23 along the left-hand edge of the cover portion, as the parts are shown in Figs. 1 and 6. Each securing portion 23 is preferably integral with its cover 5 and may be secured to the supporting member 2| in any suitable manner, as for example with an adhesive. In the present instance, I propose to employ three ofthe cover members 22 which are secured by their securing portions 23 adjacent one another but in different lines at the lefthand side of the supporting member 2 l as clearly shown in Fig. 6, although obviously a greater number may be employed if desired. Fig. 2 shows the cover members 22 in an open vertical position before being secured to the supporting member 2|. By mounting the cover members inthis manner upon the supporting member 21, said cover members will occupy a superposed and offsetv relation when in their closed position. Thus, my multiple sheet container 20 will be made up of a separate left-hand or upper container A, a'separ atemiddle-or second'container B, and a separate right-hand or lower container C. The cover 2.2 .of .each of these containers coacts with the baselmemberil to'form a separate pocket orcontainer in which the particular groupof sheets to .be ireceived thereinare enclosed.

:From .an inspection of Fig. 1 .it will be observed that the supporting member -2I is sub 13 0 stantially equal in width to the combined width .ofthecovermembers 22 in their overlapping re 'lation, .or, in other words, is substantially equal in rwidthito the width of ,oneof the cover members 22 plus the width of the two additional securing portions 23. Therefore, it will be understood .that :when the container C is in its closed position, .the right-hand edge thereof will come into registration with the right-hand edge of the supporting .member :21. As shown in the present 40 instance, the supporting memberZl may be substantially coextensive in depth, from top to bottom, with the depth of the cover members 22. Eachiof the individual or separate containers A, B, C is constructed and of proper dimensions so .45 that it may receive and enclose a pack of loosely disposed sheets for .use in ,manifolding. The size of the sheets may be standard letter size, or legal size or any other size that may be desired and the individual containers will have corresponding 50 dimensions.

The multiple sheet container of my invention is obviously of general utility, although I have shown, inthe present instance, said container to be made up of the three relatively offset and Y55 superposed containers A, B and C each of which is of standard letter size. In container A, I have provided a pack .of loosely disposed second writing or-copy sheets 24 which will rest in the separate container A. as indicated in Figs. 1, 6 and 7.

60 Container B is provided with a pack of loosely disposed carbon sheets 25 which are placed in said container with the carbon faces thereof downward. In the last or right-hand container G there is provided a pack of loosely disposed 5 first writing sheets or letter heads 26 which are placed in said container with the writing or letter head side thereof upward. Thus, it will be apparent that the multiple sheet container 20,

which is itself a unitary structure, provides, in the present instance, an individual housing for each 'of three different groups and different types of sheets for use in manifolding.

Due to the manner of mounting the flexible cover members 22 on the supporting member 2! 7 in offset relation as described above, there will be an exposed free edge portion or surface at the right-hand side of each cover member, as shown in Fig. 1, when said members are in their closed position. This enables the covers 22 to be readily selected and opened to give access to the sheet in the different containers.

To facilitate the removal of the sheets from each of the containers A, B and C I have provided a pick-up device, which is designated as a whole by the reference numeral 2?, at a convenient point near the lower edge of each cover on the exposed free edge portion thereof. I shall now describe in detail one of these pick-up devices.

Referring particularly to Figs. 4 and '7, it will be seen thatnear the lower right-hand corner of the cover of each of the containers A, B and C, and in the above mentioned free edge portion thereof, there is an opening or aperture 28 which may beapproximately the size of a normal finger tip, for example, a circular opening of ;inch in diameter. ;Mounted over ,and covering the aperture 28 is a resilient pick-up member 29. Thisgpick-up member may be of any suitable shape itbeing shownas rectangular in the present instance, but itshould preferably be of such dimensions as will allow it to completely fill or cover saidaperture and preferably overlap the edges thereof, as indicatedin Figs. 4 and '7. The under side of the member ;2 9 is coated with a film or layer of apressure sensitive, nondryingadhesive material which will cause said member to adhere to the surfaceof the cover in close proximity with the aperture 28. The adhesive used in this connection isof such acharacter as to permit of many applications without losingits tacky surface, such as is described in Patent No. 1,769,820 or Be. 17,760.

Asa convenience in manufacture and construction of the pick-up device, and to provide a better printing surface and a neater appearance, it may be found advantageous to cover said pick-up member 29 on the upper side thereof with a flexible sealing vor covering member 3|, which is of sufficient size to cover and overlap the pick-up member. This sealing member 3|, which may be made of thin paper or any other suitable material, is secured to the cover member 22 of each of the containers A, B and C in any suitable manner, such as by the use .of glue or other drying adhesive, and provides an effective finish forthe upper side of .the pick-up device and one thatmay be effectively printed upon, as will presently appear.

Itwill :be observed and understood that with the form of pick-up device described above the adhesive coating 30 is normally and preferably maintained out of contact with the uppermost sheetin the pack of the associated container 'due to the thickness of the cover member, and does not touch said sheet until downward pressure is applied to the sealing member and resilient pickup member, to flex said members as shown in Fig. '7. It will be understood, moreover, that in order to flex said pick-up device as shown in Fig. 7 the pressure applied will be most effective when applied directly over the opening 28. It therefore may be found desirable to inscribe or print the Words Touch here, Press or some such designation to indicate the point on the upper surface of the cover member 22 at which pressure should be applied to bring about the required contact of the companion adhesive surface 39 with the uppermost sheet in the associated container. This indicating inscription is designated by the reference numeral 3 2 in the drawings as is best shown in Fig. 4 and is preferably on a background printed in a contrasting color.

In operating the pick-up device associated with any individual container, it is merely necessary 5 to apply pressure at the point indicated on the cover thereof and thereby effect a contact between the associated adhesive coating 30 and the uppermost sheet in the companion container near the outer edge of said sheet. This will cause said upper sheet near its outer edge to adhere to the pick-up device so that when the cover 22 is subsequently raised said uppermost sheet will be effectively carried along with it to a position where it may be easily removed therefrom as indicated in Fig. 9. To aid in opening each cover member the lower right-hand corner thereof may be bent up slightly or rolled, as indicated at 33 in Figs.

1 and 8. Thus the thumb of the left hand may be easily slipped under any of the cover members 22 to allow one to grasp and open said cover after pressure has been applied to the associated pickup device.

Having thus described the details of construction of my novel multiple sheet container, I shall now describe how said container operates as a unit, and how a letter head, carbon sheet, and second writing or copy sheet may be easily and quickly removed from said container and collated or assembled in their proper order for manifolding and insertion into a typewriting machine.

As hereinbefore mentioned individual container A of the unitary multiple sheet container encloses a plurality of loosely disposed second writing or copy sheets 24, individual container B encloses a plurality of loosely disposed carbon sheets 25 with their carbon faces downward, and individual container C provides a housing which encloses a pack of loosely disposed first writing sheets or letter heads 26 with the writing sides thereof facing upward. Thus, to remove a unitary assembly of sheets for typing a letter and a single carbon copy, the operator merely has 'to remove one sheet from each container, starting with the left-hand container A and working to the right to container C as will hereinafter appear.

For the first step, the operator, using the left hand applies pressure with the index finger to the pick-up member associated with container A in the manner described above and as indicated in Fig. 8, thereby causing the uppermost copy sheet to adhere to the adhesive coating 30 of the actuated pick-up device. After pressure has been applied the thumb of the left hand may be slipped under the bent up portion 33, thus giving the operator a grasp of the cover member 22 of container A. The cover 22 is then raised as indicated in Fig. 9, and with the right hand the operator may remove the copy sheet 24 which is adhering to the adhesive surface 30 of the pick-up member. This copy sheet is then removed from container A and held or maintained in the right hand of the operator, and the cover member 22 thereof is closed. Next, the operator performs the above described pressure applying operation with the left hand, only on the pick-up device 21 of container B, to effect an adhering of the uppermost carbon sheet 25 in container B to said pickup device. Cover member 22 of container B is then raised carrying with it the uppermost carbon sheet 25, which when said cover is raised will have the carbon side thereof facing outward. The operator, who now has a copy sheet removed from container A in his right hand, then places the copy sheet adjacent the carbon surface of the carbon sheet and removes both sheets simultaneously which are then in their proper order.

These two sheets are held in the right hand of the operator while pressure is applied with the left hand in the manner described above to the pick-up device of container C. It will be recalled that the first writing sheets or letter heads 26 have been placed in container C with the writing surfaces thereof facing upward, so that when the cover 22 of container C is raised after pressure has been applied to the pick-up device, a letter head 26 will be carried to a position where the carbon sheet 25 and copy sheet 24, which are'now in proper order in the right hand of the operator, may be inserted under the letter head 26. All three sheets may then be removed from thecontainer. It will be understood that due to the manner of arranging thedifferent sheets in their containers, and due to the manner and sequence of removing them, saidsheets will be in their proper order when finally removed from container C and need only be slightly straightened up before inserting them into the typewriter.

It will be readily appreciated that the abov described operation of removing the necessary sheets for writing a letter with a single copy is a very simple one and can be accomplished in but a few seconds. Furthermore, any typist or operator using such a multiple sheet container 2 in conjunction with the general routine of office work will find that the task, which prior to the use of said novel multiple sheet container was a tedious and time consuming one which often resulted in crumpling a carbon sheet, will become a very simple operation. The container 20 is compact, oifers adequate protection for and maintains properly segregated the letter, carbon and copy sheets, it occupies but a very small amount of space, is or may be made artistic in appearance, provides ample space for advertising matter on the covers and may be placed in a convenient position upon the desk of the typist ready for use at any time with the assurance that the sheets enclosed in the container are not;

liable to become soiled or rumpled.

It is to be understood that if at any time it is desired to prepare a letter with more than one carbon copy, the first two operations of removing sheets from containers A and B need only be and having such sheets in the right hand, these 5 same operations may be repeated once again before removing a letter head 25.

Although I have described an arrangement in which the copy sheets, carbon sheets and letter heads are arranged in containers A, B and C respectively, which is considered the preferable arrangement, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the specific arrangement described, since other arrangements of sheets might be considered preferable by some operators. However, experimentation has proven that the above described arrangement is an effective one, and when the sheets are arranged in this order they may be removed very quickly and without the slightest difficulty.

While I have shown and described the cover members 22 as separate members attached to the base or supporting member 2|, it will nevertheless be apparent that one or all of the cover members 22 could be formed integrally with said base member. Therefore, when I use herein the expressions or'terms a supporting or base member'having a plurality of hinged covers mounted thereon, a supporting member having a plurality of retaining members hinged at one edge thereof to said supporting member or any like or similar expression, I mean to have said terms orexpressions comprehend either a construction in which one or more of the cover members are formed integrally with said base or supporting member, or a construction in which said covers are formed as separate members attached to 7 said base member as shown and described herein.

ment not only provides a convenient means that From the foregoing description it will, be

understood that there is'a distinct advantage in carrying the adhesive pick-up at the exposed free edge. portion of each cover. This arrangeenables the sheets in the container to be readily assembled in the manner described but also enables each sheet to be picked up at its outer edgeso as to prevent the sheets from fouling or being crumpled one on another during the assembling of the sheets in the manner described.

'The present invention from certain aspects may be said to be in the nature of an improvement on the pack and container disclosed in my application Serial No. 717,014 filed March 19,

1934. The claims in the present case are restricted to features not disclosed in said previously filed application.

Various changes may be made in the construction and certain features thereof may be employed without others without departing from my invention as it is defined in the accompanying claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1.- In a multiple container for different groups of sheets, the combination of a supporting or base member made of paper, or like material and a plurality of hinged flexible paper covers unremovably mounted on said base member to open and closethereon and arranged in superposed offset relationship so as to expose the free edge portions of the underlying covers when they are closed and provide for the ready opening of the different covers, each cover with said base member forming a separate enclosing means or container for a group of sheets, the construction and arrangement of the parts being such that the plurality of covers when closed are substantially coextensive in extent with said base member, whereby sheets from the different groups may be readily picked up and assembled in proper relationship.

2. In a multiple container for different groups,

of sheets, the combination of a supporting or base member made of paper, or like material, a plurality of hinged flexible paper covers unremovably mounted on said base member to open and close thereon and arranged in superposed offset relationship so as to expose the free edge portions of the underlying covers when they are closed and provide for the ready opening of the different covers, each cover with said base member forming a separate enclosing means or container arated, the combination of a single supporting or base member, a pluralityof covers. each having an integral securing portion hinged thereto and by which the associated cover may be secured directly to said single base member, the covers being superposed and arranged in offset relationship so that the underlying covers when closed will present an exposed free edge portion to enable them to be readily selected and opened to the group of sheets covered thereby, and a non-drying adhesive pick-up device carried by the exposed free edge portion of each of said covers and co-.

operative with the uppermost sheet of the group covered by the associated cover, whereby sheets of the different groups may berjeadil'y' picked up and assembled in proper relationship.

4. A multiple sheet-pack comprising a'supporting or base member, three hinged covers mounted on said supporting member and having the free ends thereof in superposed and offset'relation when the covers are closed and providing with said base member separate containers, a plurality of loosely disposed carbon sheets contained within the container formed in part by the second or middle cover, a plurality of loosely disposed writing sheets contained within each of the other two containers formed in part by the two remaining covers, and an adhesive pick-up means mounted at a point along the exposed free edge portion of each of said three covers, whereby a first writing sheet, a carbon sheet and a second or copy sheet may easily be removed from said pack in proper order and condition for insertion.

into a typewriting machine.

5. The combination of a single supporting member, a plurality of covers each hinged at one edge thereof directly to said supporting member so that the opposite free edge portions of the covers will occupy a superposed offset relation and thereby provide exposed free edge portions when said covers are closed upon said supporting member, an aperture in each of said covers located in the exposed free edge portion thereof, and a resilient pick-up member having an adhesive substance on the under side thereof mounted over each of said apertures.

6. A multiple sheet pack comprising a supporting member, three retaining members each hinged at one edge thereof tosaid supporting member so that the opposite free edge portions of the covers will occupy a superposed offset relation and thereby provide exposed free edge-portions on the covers when they are closed upon said supporting member, a plurality of carbon sheets loosely disposed under the middle cover, a plurality of writing sheets loosely disposed under each of the remaining two covers, an aperture in each of said covers located in the exposed, free edge portion thereof, and a resilient pick-up member having an adhesive substance on the under side thereof mounted over and covering each of said apertures, whereby a first writing sheet, a carbon sheet and a second writing sheet may easily be removed from said pack in proper order and condition for insertion into a typewriting machine.

7. A multiple sheet pack comprising a supporting member, three covers each hinged at one edge only thereof to said supporting member so that the opposite free edge portions of the covers will occupy a superposed offset relation and thereby provide exposed free edgeportions when said covers are closed upon said supporting member, a plurality of carbon sheets loosely disposed under the middle cover with the carbon sides thereof facing downward, a plurality of writing sheets loosely disposed under each of the remaining two covers, an aperture in each of said covers located in the exposed free edge portion thereof, a resilient pick-up member having an adhesive substance on the under side thereof mounted over and covering each of said apertures, and a sealing member mounted over and covering each of said pick-up members, whereby a first writing sheet, a carbon sheet and a second writing sheet may easily be removed from said pack in proper order and condition for insertion into a typewriting machine.

8. A multiple sheet pack comprising a supporting member, three superposed covers each hinged at one edge thereof to said supporting member in a different line so that the opposite free edge portions thereof will occupy offset relation and thereby provide an exposed free edge portion when said covers are closed upon said supporting member, a plurality of carbon sheets loosely disposed under the middle cover with the carbon sides thereof facing downward, a plurality of copy sheets loosely disposed under the left hand cover, a plurality of letter heads loosely disposed under the right-hand cover with the writing sides thereof facing upward, an aperture in each of said covers located in the exposed edge portion thereof, a resilient pick-up member having an adhesive substance on the under side thereof mounted over and covering each of said apertures, a sealing member mounted over and covering each of said pick-up members, and indicating indicia applied to said sealing members directly over said apertures, whereby a letter head, a carbon sheet and a copy sheet may easily be removed from said pack in proper order and condition for insertion into a typewriting machine substantially as described.

9. The combination of a single base or supporting member, a plurality of hinged covers unremovably mounted on said base member in a superposed and offset relationship so that each underlying cover presents an exposed portion, each cover with said single base member forming a separate sheet receiving pocket or container, and pick-up means carried by each cover at the exposed edge portion thereof and adapted to coact with an edge portion of the uppermost sheet contained in the separate pocket or container formed in part by the associated cover and in part by said single base member, whereby sheets in the different pockets may be readily picked up and assembled in proper relationship.

10. The combination of a single base or supporting member, a plurality of hinged covers mounted on said single base member in a superposed and offset relationship so that each underlying cover presents an exposed portion, each cover with said single base member forming a separate sheet receiving pocket or container corresponding in size substantially to the dimensions of the sheets to be contained therein to afford protection for said sheets, and pick-up means carried by each cover at the exposed free edge portion thereof and adapted to coact with an edge portion of the uppermost sheet contained in the separate pocket or container formed in part by the associated cover and in part by said single base member, whereby sheets in the different pockets may be readily picked up and assembled in proper relationship.

HARRY LANDSIEDEL. 

